subaruguru Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Al C called this paddle, and perhaps remembering my Pee Bottle Chronicles of 2009, asked that I write the trip report. I'm hoping this doesn't happen too often, so: About 8 of us showed up on time before it got really hot, but then Bob B came late, and got scolded by Al in his gentle school-marm style. So we nine finally launched quietly south toward Magnolia just before low tide, agreeing to stop somewhere eventually so we could all pee 'n stuff. Newcomers included Prudence skillfully managing her new nearly dayglo tangerine Avocet cum GP, and what's-her-name (sorry), all of 150cm, sporting a 230cm paddle in a pretty but rudder/skegless 36lb Isle de Haut. Uh oh.... Yet her marvelous motoring ability kept her out front, and its moderate V kept her tracking pretty well, so she wasn't bothered too much by the wind. Could'a been dicey though.... The other-Al was there with an enviable homemade wooden craft obviously finished in a moonlit garage over a few dark winter evenings perhaps back in the 70's, yet also managed well throughout our leisurely moderate pace. My gurus Peter and Bob B provided another contrast in accoutrements: Bob B with his so-fluid greenland stormstick pushing along an antique Tupperware Easky reminded me of writing with a beautiful fountain pen on corrugated cardboard. Peter stole the sartorial award with incomparable elan in his new absolutely stunning Xcite, one of the most highly-evolved, svelte kayaks ever designed, and impeccably executed. He handled it effortlessly, of course, but once seemed to get too close to some rocks several times, completely disappearing once, but methinks that may have been a call from Mother Nature. I'm sure he'll tame this stallion soon. We stopped after an incredibly arduous one hour for "lunch, etc.", probably on Norman's Woe Rock (or maybe it was Kettle Island?), but Rob and I went around it before stopping to eat because we thought it was too wimpy to stop so soon. Nobody brought anything special for lunch, or at least didn't offer ME any. I had extra panzanella, but nobody wanted any either because they don't know what it is or simply don't like wet bread under any circumstances. Lorrie and I cheerily tried to help what's-her-name demo an appropriate volume kayak and shorter paddle so to help steer her expensive evolution in our sport. She's a lawyer who has to work with a lot of bad guys, so needs lots of help. I offered to cut her paddle shaft down to size; Lorrie's advice was more genteel, of course. Al C, as instigator, was, as usual, resplendent in his magnetic Hawaiian shorts at the put-in, transitioning seamlessly from bright visual presence to audible one on the paddle, keeping us reasonably corralled throughout our trek south. Once a teacher.... The winds were light to moderate, with only a bit of bump, so nice conversations ensued. I told my story of having been "volunteered" by my wife at a Sophie Tucker revue last week to don coconuts and a grass skirt and dance with "Sophie" (unfortunately I didn't remember to tell her that in Hawaii I usually get lei'ed, as I was having trouble keeping the coconut shells on). Then Peter remembered a really great Sophie Tucker joke, of course involving one of her famous "Ernies". I don't remember exactly how it goes. Ask Peter. The gals'll love it. After paddling somewhere or other Mama Al decided that we should check out the possibility of a future lunch spot in Kettle Cove, wherein promptly Lorrie announced that she lost her glasses, an expensive and fairly common paddling trick. (She's amazingly talented...especially when Phil's not around.) So a bunch of us gathered in the hen-house offering support, while we men bravely maneuvered through the maze of stinkpots to find a fine sandy beach for future paddle rests. Fortunately Lorrie can see pretty well without her glasses, it seems, as she didn't bump into the rest of us even once on the way home! I think we went out to Great Egg Rock, then around Kettle, where finally a bit 'o bump and chop awakened us nicely. Our ride back north-east was pretty easy, helped by light pushing winds, as the temps soared. We arrived back at a very crowded beach, gingerly nudging swimmers out of the way, parking abreast right up to their blankets. One of them said something about whether we "had permits" to land there, so I decided that we should quietly get our boats OFF the beach quickly instead of having a leisurely Tupperware party unloading them beforehand. Prudence and I threaded her Avocet up the beach deftly. Despite having handled her craft exquisitely all day, her GP rotated in her hand while en portage just enough to bump a beach-goer's noggin as she passed by. I chose to grin slightly rather than say anything to either the unknowing bumper nor the surprised bumpee following this bit of quiet slapstick. Right out of Chaplin more than the Three Stooges.... So we all loaded up in 92F heat. I helped shorty load her IdH on her 9 foot tall SUV, marveling again at the incongruity of small folk with huge stuff. We all learn.... Al gathered some of the flock for ice cream and drinks across the way (see map below) where they proudly announced they don't recycle (?), but let us all crowd their air conditioned space. I mooched a too-large ice cream off of Lovely Lorrie, slowly growing quite brain-frozen. On the way home I ever-so-patiently waited in Manchester for a pedestrian and loose child to cross my path, and yet Dad yelled at me something about being annoyed, to which I told him to watch out for his kid more carefully, setting up years of family psychotherapy, a most needed past-time in MbtS... and don't they know watercraft have the right of way? Nobody brought a GPS, but our route looked something like this: (Ice Cream Place) Parking Lot Beach ----------------- rocks water SOUTH-SOUTH-WEST for an hour LUNCH somewhere on an Island or Rock SOUTH-WEST s'more Magnolia Harbor Coolidge Point Lost Glasses/Kettle Cove Scouting Adventure NORTH-EAST Return, probably around Kettle, a bit 'o rock play for some, Peter's mini-disappearance event, What-Her-Name working valiantly. BEACH RETURN, with beach pedestrian encounters. ICE CREAM Total about 5 hours, approx 12-14 miles, not much of it vertical. Thanks for calling this one Al. I know we sure we all had at least a moderately "swell" time. Let's repeat soon (Thursday?). Your ever-ready servant scribe, tongue firmly ensconced in cheek, Ern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rylevine Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Prudence and I threaded her Avocet up the beach deftly. Despite having handled her craft exquisitely all day, her GP rotated in her hand while en portage just enough to bump a beach-goer's noggin as she passed by. I chose to grin slightly rather than say anything to either the unknowing bumper nor the surprised bumpee following this bit of quiet slapstick. Right out of Chaplin more than the Three Stooges.... On the way home I ever-so-patiently waited in Manchester for a pedestrian and loose child to cross my path, and yet Dad yelled at me something about being annoyed, to which I told him to watch out for his kid more carefully, setting up years of family psychotherapy, a most needed past-time in MbtS... and don't they know watercraft have the right of way? Hey Ernie, I suggest that we nominate you for the NSPN Community Liaison Officer. On our next trip we will be able to observe said officer hanging (hopefully, in effigy) from the greasy pole! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.